Unpaid internships don’t benefit students or their employers

Employers continue to hinder and selfishly take advantage of students through unpaid internships.

If employers paid their student interns, they would realize there are benefits to reap.

Students would be able to dedicate not only their energy and time but their true focus to understanding and learning what the internship offers. They wouldn’t be distracted from taking these lessons with them after the internship is over.

“If it’s a paid position, interns are going to work hard. They are going to be committed to the position. They’re not just going to bail or leave … Or show up late because they feel the company has invested in them, has invested in their talents and is honoring them,” said NBC campus recruiter Candice Burgess.

Companies will ultimately find that the benefits of paying interns would increase the chances of finding someone willing to stay with the company.

“If a site offers a position at pay … it must meet minimum-wage standards as far as the states concerned, they tend to draw more applications,” said Community Engagement Partnership coordinator Andrew Gonzales.

Companies should realize that paying interns is a long-term investment for the company itself. If the intern realizes how much work the company is putting toward teaching useful skills and actually paying them, they’ll work harder to nab a follow-up job within that same company.

“It becomes a recruitment tool with an infinite number of benefits and outcomes,” Gonzales said.

Companies that offer financial compensation would more likely than not attract more motivated interns willing to work. The money will also allow interns to focus more on their tasks for their internship without having to worry about making money elsewhere.

Paying interns would be an easy fix for companies attempting to grow and widen their talent pool, creating a win-win for both interns and employers.

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